Quiet Optimism for Irish Breakthrough in China
Four Irish sailors will take to the water next week at the ILCA World Championships in Qingdao, China, venue for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Olympians Finn Lynch and Eve McMahon are joined by Ewan McMahon and Sienna Wright in the first major World Championships of the season - an event that marks a key step up in standard from the early season Grand Slams.
This prestigious regatta brings together 237 of the world’s top sailors—138 men and 99 women—from 40 nations, competing in two of the most competitive Olympic classes. Ireland is represented in the ILCA 7 (Men’s Dinghy) by Carlow’s Finn Lynch (National YC) and Ewan McMahon (Howth YC), while Eve McMahon and rising star Sienna Wright (both Howth YC) race in the ILCA 6 (Women’s Dinghy).
The team arrives in China off the back of strong early-season performances. Lynch claimed bronze at the Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma whilst Ewan McMahon reached the medal race at last month’s Sailing Grand Slam in Hyères.
Irish Sailing ILCA 7 coach Ben Walkemeyer is optimistic: “Qingdao is going to be a tough venue, but we’ve prepared well,” he said. “We hosted a strong international camp in Dun Laoghaire, which mirrored many of Qingdao’s conditions—swell, messy sea states, strong current—so we’re in a good place heading into this high-scoring regatta.”
Eve McMahon, a Paris Olympian, comes to Qingdao with promising early-season form, though she’s still seeking consistent results. She’s joined by 17-year-old Sienna Wright, competing in her first senior Worlds after some impressive Gold Fleet racing in Palma.
“Eve has had a few early-season hiccups, but her individual race scores show she’s a real contender if she can convert her form into results. She will be one to watch,” said Rory Fitzpatrick, Irish Sailing’s Technical Director. “This is also a great milestone for Sienna—making Gold Fleet in Palma at her age was huge and this will be a fantastic experience for her.”
Qingdao, the iconic 2008 Olympic venue, is known for its shifting breezes, strong currents, and tactical challenges—an ideal test as the road to the 2028 Olympics ramps up.
Racing begins Monday (early morning Irish time) with qualification rounds, where the large fleet is split into three groups who compete to decide the Gold, Silver and Bronze fleets for the second half of the regatta and the final round.
Securing a Gold fleet position is essential for all four Irish boats, though a top ten overall finishing place is needed for a place in the medal race final to decide the podium outcome.
You can follow all the action on Irish Sailing social media as well as daily reports here.